System and method for using a temporary electronic serial number for over-the-air activation of a mobile device

• US 7,539,514 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wong, Greg A., Shieh, Hugh
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hashem; Lisa
• Application Number:
  US10/409,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20080171532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,240 Days
• Field of Search: 455/420, 455/558, 455/551, 455/410, 455/435.2, 455/419, 380/249
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/22 Arrangements for supervision, monitoring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

A system and method for activating a subscriber identification module (SIM) based mobile device in a PCS/ANSI type wireless network. The method comprises pre-programming the SIM card of the mobile device with temporary activation identifiers, such as an international mobile station identity (IMSI) and/or a mobile identification number (MIN), and a temporary electronic serial number. The temporary electronic serial number, rather than the mobile device actual electronic serial number, is used to identify the mobile device during registration and activation. The network identifies the temporary electronic serial number associated with the SIM vendor and invokes an over-the-air activation procedure especially for the SIM card mobile devices. A SIM-over-the-air-activation processor is notified to perform the activation for that mobile device on the PCS wireless network. Authentication of the mobile device may be bypassed and the mobile device is instructed to transmit its actual electronic serial number for future registrations. Once the activation process is completed, the temporary activation identifiers are overwritten.

Claims

1. A method of over-the-air activation of a wireless device comprising a device electronic serial number and a temporary electronic serial number different from the device electronic serial number, the method comprising:

receiving the temporary electronic serial number from the wireless device wherein the temporary electronic serial number is preprogrammed onto a removable identification card coupled to the wireless device;

associating the temporary electronic serial number with a vendor;

selecting one of a plurality of over-the-air activation processes each associated with a different vendor, the selected one of the plurality of over-the-air activation processes being associated with the same vendor associated with the temporary electronic serial number; and

activating the wireless device according to the selected over-the-air activation process associated with the vendor that is associated with the temporary electronic serial number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a home location register selects the one of the plurality of over-the-air activation processes.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the wireless device is a third generation wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a message center selects the one of the plurality of over-the-air activation processes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected one of the plurality of over-the-air activation processes comprises setting a usage indicator located at the wireless device so the wireless device transmits the device electronic serial number subsequent to activation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the vendor is a vendor of the removable identification card coupled to the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a network node performing the selected one of the plurality of over-the-air activation processes is associated with the vendor of the removable identification card.

8. A method for achieving wireless device over-the-air activation, the method comprising:

transmitting a temporary electronic serial number from a wireless device, wherein the temporary electronic serial number is preprogrammed onto a removable subscriber identity module (SIM) card coupled to the wireless device, and the wireless device comprises a device electronic serial number different from the temporary electronic serial number;

receiving the temporary electronic serial number at a first network node and relaying the temporary electronic serial number to a second network node;

receiving the temporary electronic serial number at the second network node;

the second network node associating the temporary electronic serial number with a vendor;

the second network node selecting one of a plurality of over-the-air activation processes each associated with a different vendor, the selected one of the activation processes being associated with the same vendor associated with the temporary electronic serial number; and

invoking the selected one of the over-the-air activation processes to activate the wireless device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected one of the over-the-air activation processes executes at the second network node.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected one of the over-the-air activation processes executes at a third network node.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the second network node is a home location register.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the second network node is a message center.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless device communicates via an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-136/41 protocol.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless device communicates via a personal communication service (PCS) protocol.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the temporary electronic serial number is a SIM-electronic serial number.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the removable SIM card is further preprogrammed with a temporary activation identifier.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless device initiates activation by transmitting the temporary activation identifier.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving the temporary activation identifier and creating a temporary subscriber profile for over-the-air activation.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining whether the wireless device is second or third generation device based on whether a SIM-electronic serial number is reported by the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the one of the over-the-air activation processes is selected based on whether the SIM-electronic serial number was reported by the mobile device.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the SIM-electronic serial number identifies the SIM card.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the vendor associated with the temporary electronic serial number is a SIM card vendor associated with the SIM-electronic serial number.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the removable SIM card is further preprogrammed with usage indicators, and the method further comprises determining, based on the usage indicators, whether to transmit the temporary electronic serial number or the device electronic serial number during authentication.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the removable SIM card is further preprogrammed with usage indicators, and the method further comprises determining, based on the usage indicators, whether to transmit the temporary electronic serial number or the device electronic serial number for reporting.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the removable SIM card is further preprogrammed with usage indicators, and the method further comprises determining, based on the usage indicators, whether to transmit the temporary electronic serial number or the device electronic serial number for activation.

26. An activation method for a wireless device comprising a device electronic serial number and a temporary electronic serial number different from the device electronic serial number, the temporary electronic serial number being preprogrammed onto a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic serial number from the wireless device;

determining that the electronic serial number received is the temporary electronic serial number preprogrammed onto the SIM card;

associating the temporary electronic serial number with a vendor;

selecting one of a plurality of over-the-air activation processes, each associated with a different vendor, the selected one of the plurality of over-the-air activation processes being associated with the same vendor associated with the temporary electronic serial number; and

invoking the selected over-the-air activation process.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the method is performed at one or more network nodes.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the method is performed by an America National Standards Institute (ANSI)-136/41 network.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the method is performed by a global system for mobile communication (GSM) network.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein invoking the procedure comprises sending a communication to another network node to perform the selected one of the plurality of over-the-air-activation processes.

31. An activation method performed by one or more network nodes, the method comprising:

receiving a temporary electronic serial number from a mobile device having a device electronic serial number that is different from the temporary electronic serial number being preprogrammed onto a subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the mobile device;

associating the temporary electronic serial number with a vendor;

selecting one of a plurality of over-the-air activation procedures each associated with a different vendor, the selected one of the plurality of over-the-air activation processes being associated with the same vendor associated with the temporary electronic serial number; and

invoking the selected one of the plurality of over-the-air activation procedures.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the selected one of the plurality of over-the-air activation procedures comprises setting a usage indicator located at the wireless device causing the wireless device to transmit the device electronic serial number instead of the temporary electronic serial number subsequent to activation.